Castle Crashers hits Xbox One, free for returning Xbox 360 players

By Danny Cowan September 10, 2015

castle crashers remastered out on xbox one castcrash remast header — Image used with permission by copyright holder

A remastered version of The Behemoth’s landmark Xbox Live Arcade brawler Castle Crashers is out now for the Xbox One with a bevy of bonus content included.

Castle Crashers veterans may be entitled to a free copy of the game for a limited time, as Microsoft announced that players who previously purchased the Xbox 360 edition can upgrade to the remastered Xbox One release free of charge until later this month.

Developed by the creators of the hit Flash game Alien Hominid, Castle Crashers originally launched for the Xbox 360 in 2008 as part of Microsoft’s inaugural “Summer of Arcade” promotion. Ports for the PlayStation 3 and PC platforms arrived in the months afterward.

Castle Crashers presents a modernized take on arcade-styled beat-’em-ups, adding depth to traditional brawling mechanics. Up to four players can team up to battle waves of enemies throughout the game’s many side-scrolling levels, and experience earned in combat can be used to level up characters and earn new powers and upgrades.

Castle Crashers Remastered updates the original game’s presentation with higher-resolution graphics and a 60 frames-per-second framerate. The game includes more than 25 playable characters and dozens of collectible animal orbs that each boast their own unique abilities.

In addition to a single-player and multiplayer campaign, Castle Crashers Remastered also includes a competitive Arena Mode, the Back Off Barbarian minigame, and an “Insane Mode” for players who have mastered all levels. Features introduced in various Castle Crashers patches over the years have also transferred over to the remastered edition.

Castle Crashers Remastered is available as a free download for Xbox Live Gold subscribers who have a previous Castle Crashers purchase tied to their Xbox Live accounts. While some eligible players have encountered issues when redeeming the offer, Microsoft notes that a fix is in the works.

The Behemoth states that the Castle Crashers Remastered free upgrade offer remains in effect through September 20. Afterward, returning players can pick up the Xbox One version for $5. Castle Crashers Remastered is normally priced at $15.

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